Casing tester



Patented Nov. 7, 1933 umTzn s -nrs V CASING TESTERj Bob Young, Sin-m s,Li. H Application October 24, l932. Serial No. 639,334 I 4 Claims.(oiled-+9) I This invention relates to a device for'testing the casingsin wells and the like.

Eeretofore, in order to test a well casing, it has been the generalpractice to place a string 5 of casing sections and then pour a cementmixture thereinto so that it will set in the bottom portion of the well.Should a test reveal a leak in the casing the condition could beremedied only by lowering a casing of smaller diameter .:into the faultycasing. This has r sulted in a considerable loss of time and materialand has increased. greatly the cost of the work. 7

An object of the present invention is to provide the lower section ofthe casing with an attachment which will allow the casing to be testedwithout cementing it. Should the test disclose a leak, the casing couldbe pulled easily,

the leak repaired and the casing again lowered" into the .well. It canthen be cemented or sealed in the usual way without interference by theattachment.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has beenshown.'

In said drawing Figure 1 is a section through the lower end of a wellcasing with the present improvement attached and in open position,before being lowered within a well.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the attachment closed by contact withthe bottom of the well.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33, Figure 1. Referring to the figures bycharacters of reference, l designates a screw plug adapted to be joinedby a coupling sleeve 2 to the lower end of a casing 3. A bore 4 isextended through the plug near its periphery.

The lower end of coupling sleeve 2 extends below the plug to form aguide as shown at 5 and slidable in this guide is a sealing head 6adapted to bear tightly against the lower face or" plug 1 and providedwith an annular shoulder 7 likewise adapted to bear against the lowerend of coupling SIBBVB'Z. A bore 8, preferably inclined, is extendedthrough the sealing head 6.

The plug 1 has a holding pin 9 extended downwardly therefrom within abore 10 in the head tween plug 1 and said head through whichcommunication is established between bores 4 and 8, as shown inFigure 1. 5

In practice the testing attachment is' coupled to the lower section ofthe casing and said casing is then lowered into the well. During thisoperation the sealing head will, be supported as in Figure 1 closedagainst plug 1 by pressure 7 against liquid in the path thereof. Thussolids in the liquid will be kept out of the casing. When the bottom ofthe well is reached the sealing head will be brought to a stop and theweight of the casing will cause the plug 1 to bear 7 tightly upon thesealing head so as tocontinue to close all communication between bores 4and 8. The casing can then be tested in the usual way as by forcingfluid thereinto and should a leak be disclosedthe casing can be pulled,repaired and again lowered. When the casing is ready for cementing it israised slightly so as to move the plug 1 away from seal head 6 andrelease the fluid in the casing so that it will join the outside fluid.The cementing fluid is then forced into the casing to expel the fluid inthe path thereof and flow through the bores 4 and 8 and thence upwardlyaround the lower 7 end of the casing.

After the foregoing operation the'cemen t will 0 set and the casing willthen be ready for use.

It will be noted that pin 9 is not located at the center of the plug andsealing head. Thus it cooperates with the guide end 5 of sleeve 2 toprevent the sealing head from rotating. Consequently the bores 4am 8 cannot move into register but will communicate only when the sealing head 6and the plug l are spaced apart;

What is claimed is:

l. A testing attachment for a well casing ineluding accupling sleeve, aplug therein having a bore therethrough, a sealing head slidable in thesleeve and having a bore 'therethrough, said plug and head being movabletogether to close the bores and movable'apart to establish communicationbetween thebores, and means extended longitudinally within the plug andhead for limiting the relative movement of the head and plug.

2. A testingattachment for a well casing in- 1 cluding a couplingsleeve, a plug therein having a bore therethrough, a sealing headslidableeinw the sleeve and having a bore therethrough, said plug andhead being movable togetherrto close" the bores and movable apart toestablishcomfl munication between the bores, and means seated in theplug and head and parallel with thepathlz of movement of the head forlimiting the relative movement of the head and plug and holding themagainst relative rotation.

4. A testing attachment for well casings including a coupling sleeve, aplug therein, a sealing head slidable in and extending below the sleeveand normally spaced from the plug by gravity, there being nonaliningbores in the plug; andheadiadapted. to be closed by contact of thehea'd-withthe plug,- and a holding pin seatedain the head and plug andsecured to the plug for limiting the relative sliding movement of= thehead and plug, said pin being parallel withhut removed from the axis ofthe head for cooperation with the sleeve to hold the head against'rotation in the sleeve relative to the plu BOB YOUNG.

